The Beauty of Goddess Worship | Chatal Hayak Statuette

Goddess worship is a hallmark of almost every civilization of the ancient world, no doubt a testament to the respect given to women of those cultures. Women are not only the givers of life but protectors, and the divinification of them throughout history is a way of honoring their strength. Gentle, fierce, capable, beautiful- goddesses transcend archetype and humankind. Although today’s major religions are primarily patriarchal, analyzing how humans from the prehistoric era until the Greeks depicted goddesses gives us an insight into how women were viewed, what they represented, and how the definition of female power has evolved (or devolved) over time.

Imagine entering a church, temple, or mosque, and seeing a video playing of a woman in active labor. In a contemporary world where childbirth is witnessed by only a few close family members and midwives, it might seem foreign to pray to a statue of a woman in the process of giving birth. However, to the Chatal Huyuk people, there was no greater beauty and dignity than the creation of life, and censoring it was unnecessary if not disrespectful. Just as a warrior king might be inspired by painted scenes of battle and victory, it makes sense that women would admire this divine statue in labor. She is no damsel, but rather as regal and confident as the cats that surround her. This contrasts with our modern association of femininity as gentle and soft. Noticing this difference in how the neolithic people perceived femininity is important in understanding why they chose to worship female gods, not just male ones. For them, female strength was equivalent to human strength. Men and women alike prayed to this Catal Huyuk goddess, because regardless of gender, power is inspiring. On a personal level, religion is a method of reassurance. It is a way to give yourself answers and peace, when the natural world might seem chaotic. In my opinion, there is no purer way of centering yourself than remembering where you came from, the womb, and honoring the strength of the woman that gave you life.